GERMANY'S VIOLATIONS OF THE LAWS OF WAR
Published under the auspices of the French Government.
Translated by J. O. P. BLAND. With many documents in facsimile.
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THE DRAMA OF 365 DAYS
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SOLDIERS' TALES OF THE GREAT WAR
Each Volume cr. 8vo, Cloth, 3s 6d net.

I. WITH MY REGIMENT. By "PLATOON COMMANDER." [ Ready

II. DIXMUDE. The Epic of the French Marines. Oct. Nov. 1914.
By CHARLES LE GOFFIC. Illustrated

To be followed by

III. IN THE FIELD (1914 15). The Impressions of an Officer
of Light Cavalry.

IV. IN THE DARDANELLES AND SERBIA. Notes of a French Army Doctor.
Illustrated

WILLIAM HEINEMANN
21 BEDFORD STREET, LONDON, W.C.

The most successful war book.
Forty editions have been sold in France.

[Illustration: Phot. Excelsior

FRENCH MARINES MARCHING OUT OF THEIR DÉPÔT AT THE GRAND PALAIS, PARIS]

DIXMUDE

THE EPIC OF THE FRENCH MARINES

(OCTOBER 17 NOVEMBER 10, 1914)

BY

CHARLES LE GOFFIC

TRANSLATED BY FLORENCE SIMMONDS

With Maps and Illustrations

LONDON

[Illustration]

WILLIAM HEINEMANN

London: William Heinemann, 1916.

INTRODUCTION

Praise, they say, is stricken dumb by the greatest names, and also, we
may add, by the greatest deeds. It is only by the bare simplicity of
faithful narrative that we can hope not to belittle these.

But yesterday the public had no knowledge of the great, heroic things
accomplished by the Brigade of Marines ( Fusiliers Marins ). They were
hidden under a confused mass of notes, communiqués , instructions and
plans of operations, private letters, and newspaper articles. It has
been no easy task to bring them to light the discreet light permitted
by the censorship. Everything seems simple and obvious to those who can
look at facts in their logical order and regular sequence. The historian
who has to handle new matter knows what a labour it is to introduce, or
rather to re establish, such order and sequence. History has to be
written before the philosophy of history can be evolved.[1]

Our readers must not be surprised, therefore, to find here only such
considerations as are in direct relation to events. We have been
concerned with facts rather than with ideas. And in the result nothing
will be lost hereby, for we provide materials ready for use in the
establishment of that war mysticism which the sombre genius of Joseph de
Maistre presaged, which Vigny showed at work in certain souls, and which
is marked out as our national religion of to morrow. It is obvious that
such an immense effort, such prolonged tension, such whole hearted
sacrifice, as were demanded from the handful of men with whom we are
concerned, could not have been obtained by ordinary methods. A special
compact was required, a peculiar state of grace; the miracle was only
possible as the outcome of a close communion, and, to use the proper
word, of a true spiritual fraternity between men and officers.

True, this fraternity has been manifested in every branch of the service
and on every battlefield during the course of the present struggle; but
nowhere perhaps has it been so absolute as among the Marines. They had,
no doubt, been well prepared... Continue reading book >>